Production of dust coated materials



May 7, 1946.

M. H. ARVESON PRODUC'ION OF DUST COATED MATERIALS Filed NOV. 1 1941. 2 Sheets-Sheerl l May 7, 1946.

M, H`. ARVEsON PRODUCTION oT DUsT COATED MATERIALS Filed Nqv. .1., 1941 zsheetssheet 2 Patented May `7, 1946 OFFICE rnDUc'noN or nUs'r conm MATERIALS Mam-ice H. Arveson, l1

Standardilcompan,

tion of Indiana olllnoor Ill., assigner to atteggia lll., a corporaappumn November 1, 1911, sensi No. 417,455 11 claims. v (o1. 11i- 100) The present invention relates to a method and means for coating or otherwise coveringparticles of a plastic and sticky character with a dry. powdered dust-like material in order to prevent adhesion of the particles and coalescence thereof.

Particles which exhibit adhesive properties at normal temperatures suchl as synthetic resins, asphalt, natural resins and the like will adhere to `one another and in certain instances, will iiow together in` time, forming a solid mass. These adhesive properties may be inherent or develop on storage as a result of deterioration, moisture absorption or the like.

The term adhesive materials" used hereinafter refers to materials which may be described as viscous, semlsolid, plastic, solid. resinous or the like such as synthetic resins, asphalt, natural resins and the like, all exhibiting the property, when in a subdivided state, of adhering, fusing or coalescing or the like on storage, thus destroying the free-iiowing characteristic of the originally finely sub-divided material. It is often desirable to prepare small particles of normally adhesive material in a free-flowing form so that the puiverized or atomized plastic and sticky substances may be shipped 'or otherwise transported without adhering to itself or to containers or to anything f 'with which it may come in contact.

It is sometimes desired to spray articles with a material containing asphalt and a ller through a name gun so that `asphalt coatingsmay be placed on structural materials, fabric, paper and the like without using solvents. Under these and similar circumstances the asphalt or other normally adhesive material can be handled 'much moreeasily if itis provided in the form of freeowing, non-sticky particles. Such a product may'be prepared by coating the particles of adhesive substances with a tine powdered dust-like material which adheres to the particles themselves but prevents .the particles from'sticking to each other. v

Itis an object. of the present invention to provide an improved method for preparing iinely `divided, permanently free-owing particles of a normally adhesive material.

A further object is to provide means for carrying out the improved method.

Still another object is to provide a product consisting of Iree-owing particles of a normally adhesive material.

` Broadly, the present inventiominvolvesv spraying or atomizing the adhesive material while in a iiuid or semi-huid .state and projecting the particles so formed into a .-'zone containing `dust suspended therein whereby the partioles,wl1ile cooling to normal temperatures. .pick up' the dust on their outer surfaces forming -a coating which prevents adhesion of the particles andthereby facilities handling of -themateriaLA Means for carrying. out this procedure are showin-by way of illustration, in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic ow. sheet oi a system for dust A.coating atomized particles of a normally adhesive material; and

Figure 2 represents a modification of the system shown in Figure 1.

In the following more detailedv descriptionY of the system reference will zbe'- made tof .asphalt but I do not intend to be limited theretozsinoe .pther normally adhesive resinous materials -ma'yabe coated equally well and with the same desired; results. Also, reference will'be made todustzandy by this term I intend -to include both organic and inorganic materials which are capable oi?v beingpulverized to a dust-like condition such assilica dust, clay dust, limestone dust, stamping mill effluents, Cottrell precipitates of inorganic dusts in general, -our and-the like.

With particular reference t0 Figure 1, asphalt is maintained in a liquid condition in tank lli by heating same. This liquid asphaltis pumped through line Il by means of pump I2 toair injector I3. The mixture of inert gas, for example, air and hot asphalt is then sprayed by atomizer il into the chamber I5 where the coating of the sprayed particles with dust takes place. Although various types of atomizers or spraying devices may be used, the one shown diagrammatically in Figure 1 is provided with a return pipe IB so that excess asphalt may be returned to the tank I 0.' A pressure control device l1 is provided in the return pipe i6 sothat the pressure existing at the atomizer I4 may be accurately controlled. v Chamber i5 contains dust which is aerated or fluidized by a current of air or other inert gaseous medium to forma turbulent dense dust phase i8,

Immediately adjacent the atomizer I4, however,

dust material may have a particle size of about 10 to 100 microns, although other particle sizes maybe used provided only that the dust be of such particle size and density that it may be suswith air or other gaseous mediums having velocities of about .03 to .3 feet per second, its bulk density may be about 25 to 35 pounds per cubic foot. When the dust is suspended in a chamber by air having a vertical velocity of about .4 to 4- feet per second or more,`speciflca1ly about 11/2 to 21/2 feet per second, the dust is maintained in -a dense, turbulent, suspended dust phase having a bulk density of about to 25 pounds per cubic foot. The above examples of velocities and densities apply to the case of a fine clay powder such as commercial Super Filtrol powder. However, the velocity used will depend on the dust employed, and I prefer an air velocity .which will give a bulk density of about 5 to 30, for example about to 18 pounds per cubic foot in the dense turbulent phase. In the dilute or dispersed dust phase the bulk density may be from 1 to 4 pounds per cubic foot, although it is usually below 1 pound per cubic foot.

It is to be understood that the foregoing is merely an example of a particular set of dust conditions and that other conditions may be utilized when desired.

As the atomized particles of asphalt are sprayed into the chamber I5 they are completely and eiectively coated with the dust forming a free owing mass of dust coated asphalt particles. In order to ensure that the asphalt particles are hardened before leaving the chamber the chamber is maintained at a temperature distinctly lower than the molten uid in line I I, for example by cooler I9. Since the gas velocity through the chamber is insuflicient to suspend the coated asphalt particles they tend to concentrate in the bottom of the chamber and are removed along with a quantity of excess dust through pipe 20. The disposition of the coated particles will be described hereinafter.

A small amount of the ner dust particles will be carried to the top of the chamber and will leave the chamber through the air outlet pipe 2|. A blower 22 serves to circulate the air (and ilner dust particles) from the chamber I5, through pipes 2 I and 23, cooler 24 and inlet pipe 25. ing off from inlet pipe 25 is a small pipe 25 communicating with valved pipe and terminating at a separator 21. Pipe 26 is so arranged as to impel the coated asphalt particles from the chamber I5 to the separator 21, where an initial separation occurs, removing the undesirable coarser asphalt particles which form in a small though appreciable amount. Of course, whenever large coated asphalt particles are desired the atomization may be adjusted so that the main proportion of the product will have a large size. In the present case, however, the nner size is preferred since it is easier to handle and permits a more compact product to be transported. The ner coated asphalt particles and accompanying excess dust are delivered from separator 21 through pipe 28 to a second separator 29 where the main product is separated from the accompanying dust. This excess dust is passed through line 30 to a separator 3|, where. the dust is knocked down and returned to the system.

In order to make up for the dust removed from the system by the coating of the asphalt a makeup dust container 32 is provided, the dust being passed through line 33 to the separator 3| by Leadmeans of anair current entering at 34. A standpipe 35 extends from the separator 3| into the chamber I5 to a point below the top surface of the dense dust phase. The proper amount of makeup dust necessary for maintaining the proper level in the chamber I5 is controlled by a valve 36 at the bottom of the container 32.

A modified arrangement is shown in Figure 2 wherein the coarser particles of asphalt or other adhesive material are separated from the proper sized particles before contact with the dense dust phase. In Figure 2, 31 represents a tank containing hot asphalt, which is impelled through pipes 38 and 39 by pump 4D. Air is injected at 4|. The het asphalt is sprayed into chamber 42 by atomizer 43. A return pipe 44 is provided for excess asphalt in the same manner as return pipe I6 in Figure 1. A pressure control device 45 operates to control the pressure at the atomizer 43. As described hereinafter, a vertical current of air or other inert gaseous medium is maintained in chamber 42. 'I'he atomizer is arranged in chamber `42 and the velocity of the current of -air is adjusted so that the particles of asphalt having the desired size will pass upwardly through chamber 42 into the throat 46 while the larger sized particles will .tall to the bottom of chamber 42 and then by return pipe 41 to tank 31. The throat 46 may be provided with a screening device 48 if desired, although the cross-sectional area of the throat 46 may be such as to provide the desired air velocity to carry the finer asphalt particles to the dust chamber 49 containing dust in a dense dust phase, as described above. Upon entering the dust chamber 49 the asphalt particles are coated and concentrate toward the bottom thereof. Dust chamber 49 has a greater cross-sectional area than chamber 42 so that the air velocity in chamber 42 is fast enough to carry the asphalt particles through the throat 46 to dust chamber 49, but in the latter chamber the air velocity is not fast enough to carry the particles further. The throat serves as an injector for the asphalt particles and after becoming coated with the dust they concentrate in pipe 50 which serves as a dust stripper, as will be described below. A cooler may be provided in chamber 49 if desired to ensure a substantial hardening of the particles. Obviously some of the dust tends to follow along with the coated asphalt particles through pipe 50. To prevent dust loss as far as possible anair spray 5I is located in pipe 50 to blow free excess dust back into the dust chamber 49. The size of pipe 50 and air velocity therein is. such that the dust will be carried back into the chamber 49 where the dense dust phase will be maintained. The method of separating coated particles shown in Figure 1 is preferred and may be substituted for the method shown in Figure 2. In other words, centrifugal separation is in general more eiective in removal of dust from the coated particles. 'I'he method of Figure 1, in effect, uses both stripping in the base of chamber I5 and classification in separators 21 and 29. Briefly, the air velocities in dust chamber 49 are less than the air velocity in either pipe 50 or chamber 42, in spite of the fact that the quantity of air in chamber 49 is the sum of that issuing from the top of pipe 50 and that issuing from the top of chamber 42.

The coated asphalt particles leave pipe 50 and fall into a hopper 52 from which containers are iilled. A dust container 53 supplies makeup dust directly into dust chamber 49 through. a control valve I which can be automatically controlled as described hereinafter.

A centrifugal separator 55 is-located at the top of the dust chamber 48. The air passing upwards through chamber 49 and carrying a certain amount of dust with it, enters the separator 55 wherein a substantial portion of the dust is knocked down and returned to the dense dust phase through outlet 56. The substantially clean air may then pass through pipe 51, blower' 58, cooler 59 and pipe 6I) to the chamber I2 or it may pass through pipe 6i, another centrifugal or Cottrell separator 62 where remaining dust, if any, is knocked down and returnedto the dense dust phase through line 63, and the air vented to the atmosphere; If desired the cleaned air may be passed through line 64 to air sprayer 5| for stripping the dust accompanying the coated asphalt particles in pipe 50. This latter arrangement is particularly desirable when the atmospheric air contains impurities rendering it unfit for use in the system unless it is first purified or otherwise treated. A device 65 which is responsive to the height of the dense dust phase may be used for controlling valve 5l either electrically, mechanically or pneumatically, so that the level of the dense phase will be constant.

@ne of the many advantages of my process wherein the particles are injected into a dense phase of dust is that the common difllculty encountered in preparing particles isavoided; this common diiculty being the rapid clogging oil equipment due to adhesion of the particles to the wall oi the vessel in which the spraying is done. in the case of-JFigure 1, this diiilculty is completely eliminated by directly injecting the atomized particles into a dense dust phase zone which completely surrounds the spray ofparticles ejected from the atomizer M'before the particles reach the walls of the chamber, while in Figure 2 the small, though appreciable amount of dust passing through pipe du and chamber 42 minimizes the tendency of the walls of the chamber it and throat t8 to become coated with the particles and, thereby, becoming clogged. While asphalt has been specifically referred to above, it will be understood that other substances may be coated equally Well. Clearly the heating of the material may be dispensed with if the material is normally liquid and is sprayable. In such case, however, it is generally necessary to refrigerate the particles during the coating step in order to prevent coalescence.

Although the atomizers or sprayers shown in the drawings are directed upwardly, it is to be understood that the atomlzers may be disposed in any other position, either downwardly, obliquely,

or horizontally provided the necessary procedural steps can be followed. Obviously various structural changes would be required if the direction of the atomizers were altered but, as stated hereinbefore, `I do not wish to be limited by the constructions shown in the drawings.

It will be clear to one skilled in the art that the particular conditions of the process depend upon the Yparticular material being coated, the type of dust used for coating and the desired size of dust-coated particles.

Various modifications of the present invention may be found by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Iclaim: 1. Apparatus for coating particles of a normally adhesive solid or semi-solid material with dust to prevent coalescence thereof comprising a dust-coating chamber. means for introducing dust into said chamber, means for passing a gasa ous medium upwardly through said 'chamber to suspend the dust in a dense phase having a bulk' density of from about five pounds to about thirty pounds per cubic foot, means for spraying the normally adhesive material into said chamber in the form of particles, whereby the sprayed particles are coated with dust, and means for removing the coated particles from said chamber.

2. Apparatus for lcoating particles of a normally adhesive solid or semi-solid material with dust to prevent coalescence thereof comprising a dust-coating chamber, means for introducing dust into said chamber, means for passing a gaseous medium upwardly through said chamber to suspend the dust in a dense phase having a bulk density of from about five pounds to about thirty pounds per cubic foot, means for spraying the normally adhesive material into said chamber in the form of particles, whereby the sprayed particles are coated with dust, means for removing the coated particles from said chamber, and means for separating the coated particles from excess dust.

3. Apparatus for coating particles of a normally adhesive solid or semi-solid material with dust to prevent coalescence thereof comprising a dust-coating chamber, means for introducing dust into said chamber, means for passing a gaseous medium upwardly through said chamber to suspend the dust in a dense phase having a bulk density of from about ilve pounds to about thirty pounds per cubic foot, means for spraying the normally adhesive materia1 into said chamber in the form of particles, whereby the sprayed particles are coated with dust, means for removing the coated particles from said chamber, means for separating the coated particles from excess dust, and means for returning the excess dust to said chamber.

4. Apparatus for coating par-ticles of a normally adhesive solid or semi-solid material with dust to prevent coalescence thereof comprising a dust-coating chamber, means for introducing dust into said chamber, means ,for passing a gaseous medium upwardly through said chamber to suspend ythe dust in a dense phase having a bulk density of from about five pounds to about thirty pounds per cubic foot, means for spraying the normally adhesive material into said cham- The scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the appended claims.

ber in the form of particles, whereby the sprayed particles are coated with dust, means for removing the coated particles from said chamber and means for separating the flner dust-coated particles from the coarser dust-coated particles.

5. Apparatus for coating particles of a normally adhesive solid or semi-solid material with dust to prevent coalescence thereof comprising a dust-coating chamber, means for introducing dust into said chamber, means for passing a gaseous medium upwardly through said chamber to suspend the dust in a dense phase having a bulk density of from about've pounds to about thirty pounds per cubic foot, means for spraying the normally adhesive material, means for separating the coarser sprayed particles from the nner sprayed particles, means for introducing the nner sprayed particles into said chamber whereby said particles are coated with dust, and means for removing the coated particles from said chamber.

6. A process for coating particles of normallyadhesive material with a nely-divided solid dust which comprises the steps. of maintaining within a coating zone a quantity of finely-divided solids, passing a gas upwardly through said zone, whereby said finely-divided solids are suspended in a dense turbulent solids phase having a density oi' between about 5 and about 30 pounds per cubic .foot, spraying said normally-adhesive material,

in liquid form, upwardly and directly into said dense phase to form particles thereof, whereby the sprayed particles of normally-adhesive material are coated with at least a portion oi.'` said solids, and continuously recovering `the coated particles.

7. A process for coating particles of normallyadhesive material with a finely-divided solid dust which comprises the steps of maintaining within A a coating zone a quantity of finely-divided solids, passing a gas upwardly through said zone whereby said finely-divided solids are suspended in a dense turbulent solidsj phase having a density of between about 5 and about 30 pounds per cubic foot, heating said normally-adhesive material to form a liquid material, spraying said heated normally-adhesive material upwardly and directly into said dense phase to form particles thereof, whereby the sprayed particles of rormally-adhesive material are coated with at least a portion of said solids, and continuously recovering the coated particles. l

8. A process as claimed in claim '7 and further comprising the steps of separating the coarser dust-coated particles from the bulk of the excess dust and from the finer dust-coated particles, separating the bulk of the excess dust from the finer particles, and returning the excess dust to said coating zone.

9. A process for coating particles of normallyadhesive material with a finely-divided solid dust which comprises the steps of maintaining Within a coating zone a quantity of nely-divided solids, passing a gas upwardly through said zone, whereby said 'nely-divided solids are suspended in a into said zone to form particles thereof, wherebyv the sprayed particles of normally-adhesive material are coated with at least a portion of said solids, continuously recovering the coated particles, separating the coated particles from the bulk of the excess dust, and returning the excess dust to the coating zone.

10. A process for forming and coating particles of normally-adhesive material with,a nelydivided solid dust which comprises the steps of maintaining within a contacting zone a quantity of `finely divided solids, passing a relatively cool gas upwardly through said nely divided solids, whereby the solids are maintained in a dense turbulent suspended solids phase having a density of between about 5 and about 30 pounds per cubic foot, heating said normally-adhesive material to form a liquid material, spraying said heated normally-adhesive material upwardly and directly into said dense phasel to form particles thereof, whereby said particles are cooled and coated by contacting with the finely-divided solid dust and removing coated particles downwardly from said dense turbulent suspended solids phase.

11. A process for forming and coating particles of normally-adhesive material with a finelydivided solid dust which comprises the steps of maintaining within a contacting zone a quantity of finely-divided solids, supplying relatively cool gas to said zone at a'low point therein, passing the gasesupwardly through said finely-divided solids, whereby the solids are maintained in a dense turbulent suspended solids phase having a density of between about 5 and about 30 pounds` per cubic foot, heating said normally-adhesive material to form a liquid material, spraying said heated normally-adhesive material upwardly and directly into said zone at a low point therein to form particles thereof, whereby said particles are cooled and coated by contacting with the finelydivided solid dustwithin saidzone, continuously separating the gases from the total solids within the said zone, removing downwardly from said dense turbulent suspended solids phase the coated particles, and continuously supplying finely-I divided solid dust to said zone.

AMAURICE H. `ArumsoN. 

